Ensuring Prosperity of Small Business is Critical to a Stronger Ontario

(Peterborough – September 27, 2019) Today, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce hosted a panel discussion and launch event, “Scaling Up Small Business.” This is the second of three events being held across the province on strengthening Ontario’s regional economies to reinforce the prosperity of the province as a whole.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and play a significant role in bolstering communities across the province,” states Claudia Dessanti, Policy Analyst at the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. “We need to ensure that Ontario businesses are equipped with right the tools and regulatory environment conducive to remaining competitive in today’s economy. That is why we’re here to discuss the challenges and explore the opportunities for small businesses to commercialize and scale their operations.”

In early September, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce released its latest report, The Great Mosaic: Reviving Ontario’s Regional Economies. The report urges policymakers to take a modern and comprehensive approach to economic development by leveraging the existing competitive advantages of Ontario’s diverse regions and implementing deliberate strategies to support long-term growth in communities across the province.

“Efforts to drive forward regional economic development and innovation are critical to the prosperity of businesses and job creators in the Peterborough area,” says Stuart Harrison, Executive Director of the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce. “The Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce will continue to work with our members, government and stakeholders to ensure that our community and regions across Ontario can remain competitive in a rapidly changing economy.”

Resources

• Read the OCC’s report, The Great Mosaic: Reviving Ontario’s Regional Economies here.
• Read full list of recommendations from the report here.

For more information please contact:
Media Contacts
Ariel Benjamin
Communications Coordinator
Ontario Chamber of Commerce
arielbenjamin@occ.ca | 647-243-3561

Sandra Dueck
Policy Analyst / Communications Specialist
Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce
sandra@peterboroughchamber.ca | 705.748.9771 x215

About the Great Mosaic Mini-Series
The Ontario Chamber of Commerce is hosting three events in Sudbury, Peterborough and Hamilton, bringing together private and public sector stakeholders to discuss how government can build upon regional economic development policy and strengthen the long-term capacity for innovation across the Province.

About the Ontario Chamber of Commerce
For more than a century, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) has been the independent, non-partisan voice of Ontario business. The OCC’s mission is to support economic growth in Ontario by defending business priorities at Queen’s Park on behalf of its network’s diverse 60,000 members.

About the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce
The Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce is a member-based organization. Our main focus is to channel the collective strength of the business community to improve the economy. This includes providing representation on numerous committees, conducting surveys, issuing discussion papers and developing policy positions on issues of significance to our members.

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